Advice on car hire problem....

[oceanscape]

Hi

I booked our car hire with Airline Network but foolishly put in the incorrect "pick-up" and "drop-off" times. I put in 12pm pick-up and 12pm drop-off when it should be 6pm pick-up and 6pm drop-off.

I called them immediately after I made the reservation and was told that I would have to pay £25 to cancel the booking and then re-book it. I could understand if I left it for a few days before noticing, but I called them the second I got the confirmation e-mail.

I was wondering, is car hire not covered by the Distance Selling Regulations? I thought that if you ordered something online you were allowed a 7-day "cooling off" period where you could cancel without charge?

Just looking for some advice really. I don't mind paying the £25, but it is the principal that is bothering me.

Thanks.

 

[UKDEB]

Airline Network is ABTA bonded and this is an excerpt from their Standards on Websites and Online Trading:

B) Booking Process

Your website must provide Clients with the following information, before they make a booking:

• A description of the different technical steps to be taken to conclude a contract online. For example, what the final act by the Client is - e.g. clicking "Confirm"; what status that has - e.g. a confirmed order or a request; when you will provide an acknowledgement (this has to be without delay); when you expect to confirm the booking, or the fact that the order will be passed to the Principal etc.
• The point at which a contract comes into existence. This is your choice but it is recommended that you give yourself the opportunity to review and accept the booking request, i.e. the contract does not arise when the Client completes the booking process online.
• An indication of whether the contract will be filed by you and whether it can be accessed by Clients. If it will not, you can state: Your contract will not be filed by [your name].
• How Clients correct any inputting errors they make, e.g. an email address or phone number for them to contact.
• An indication of the languages offered in which to conclude the contract. If this is English you can state: The contract will be concluded in English.

That suggests to me that you should be able to correct input errors without penalty. Why not give ABTA a call?

 

[UKDEB]

Back again (I'll probably keep doing this ). Airline Network doesn't seem to have its Terms and Conditions detailed on its website, which would appear to be a breach of the ABTA Code of Conduct. The T&C link merely states which regulatory bodies it has signed up with.

 

[oceanscape]

Back again (I'll probably keep doing this ). Airline Network doesn't seem to have its Terms and Conditions detailed on its website, which would appear to be a breach of the ABTA Code of Conduct. The T&C link merely states which regulatory bodies it has signed up with.

Thanks for your help, it is really appreciated!

On the last page of the car hire booking they do present a link to their Terms and Conditions ( http://www.airline-network.co.uk/CarHire/Terms.ashx?depot=LAST01&provider=DU ) and it does say a £25 amendment charge will apply. Do you think I have any hope?

I am so annoyed because when I called up the lady even said "oh, this reservation hasn't even been sent over to dollar yet".

 

[Madjock]

Even if it states it in the T&Cs it does sound a bit harsh of them to enforce it under your circumstances. If they did I personally would pay the £25 to cancel and rebook via someone else.

 

[UKDEB]

I am so annoyed because when I called up the lady even said "oh, this reservation hasn't even been sent over to dollar yet".

Then I think you have a very strong case. The amendment/cancellation fee is surely to cover their expenses?

I'd be tempted to ring them back and try to reason with them. Tell them that their site defaults to the 12pm - 12pm rental window and it caught you out, but you realised straight away and tried to correct the error before they incurred any expenses. Tell them that the ABTA Code of Conduct suggests that its members must facilitate input errors in online bookings.

If charm doesn't work, you could always try the "I visit the US 3 times a year and I won't be using you again/I'm a member of a high-profile discussion forum where opinions of car hire operators frequently gets raised" approach.

 

[UKDEB]

Me again Looks as though you're right - according to the dti website, internet transactions are subject to a 7 day cooling-off period.

 

[UKDEB]

One more thought. The timings are probably not that big a deal. Flilghts are frequently late and, as long as you turn up on the right day, you'll get your car. The only problem I can foresee is that you might not get the class of car you'd booked, if they happened to be out. The time of collection will be recorded on your paperwork and your rental will expire X number of days from then, at the same time.

 

[wayneg]

I would not change the booking. They do not start each day reserving cars for for individual reservations. They have a constant pool of cars they take from whenever someone needs one. Especially with Dollar they do not give you a specific car you are getting on your reservation, only a size. I have arrived 6 hours late before and the hire time contract started when I collected the car not the reserved time I booked it at months before.
If you are going to change I would send email and tell Airnet you will pay the £25 cancel, rebook elswhere and never use them again. if they don't drop the £25 fee to alter the time.
I use them upto 4 times a year and never had to a problem thankfully.
Good luck

 

[oceanscape]

Thanks for all the excellent advice! You're all too helpful

I will give them a call later and report back. I telephoned trading standards about the 7-day cooling off period thing and they said it didn't apply to car hire - seems strange to me.

I can't believe I am getting so worked out over a stupid £25 fee, but it is the fact that they can change it so easily (and at no cost) that is really bugging me.

If they won't budge, I will probably just leave it as it is and see what happens - thanks for the reassurance, wayneg & UKDEB.

 

[oceanscape]

If I do leave it as it is, do you think it would be worth calling the local dollar office on the day of collection and letting them know we won't be collecting it until 6pm? Will it make any difference/will they charge a "late" fee?

 

[wayneg]

As a matter of interest did you enter your flight numbers on the booking with airnet? I only used their site 2 weeks ago and I cant remember. If you did I can see no other reason for them to know this info other than to know when you are arriving and departing.
I really would not worry about it, but I have the nerve to stand at the Dollar desk and say Airnet had been informed of the mistake on the day of booking and its their fault for not notifying Dollar.
I am 99.9% sure they will not even say anything about it.

 

[Steve and Sarah]

I really wouldn't worry - as the other psoter have said they do not reserve a particular car for you. The clock on your rental ontl starts ticking once you have signed the paperwork at the desk.

They are only really interested if you have booked the correct number of days as that is what they will invoice Airline Network for.

We reularly appear several hours eitehr early or late for car hire pick ups and no problems have really been experienced of this nature.

You might even be lucky and get soemthing much flasher than you booked...we got a Durango in San Francisco in November when we had only booked an Intermediate as they had run out.

 

[martina857]

M

 

[juliebro]

I have been trying to tell people about this for years on here, Airline Network are Ok until you have to contact them for something then they become a complete nightmare.

From bitter experience stay away from Airline Network.

M

I absolutely agree 100%!!!!

They are AWFUL if you need to speak to them about anything. I would NEVER EVER use them again after our terrible experience with them.

Julie

 

[wayneg]

Interesting, In all years I have been going to Florida I have only heard good about Airnet. Do you two have a links to your problems with them
I have used them for years now for cars, flights and hotels and they have been very good on prices but thankfully never had the cause to ring them. They have reponded to me emails no problem. Last Aug I paid £319 each for flights that were £700+ everywhere else and they even sent me 2 bottles of wine.
Would like to read what went wrong with your trips.

 

[juliebro]

Interesting, In all years I have been going to Florida I have only heard good about Airnet. Do you two have a links to your problems with them
Would like to read what went wrong with your trips.

The 'search' facility doesn't seem to be working at the moment. You should be able to find my posts with my comments on about them. They related to a change of flight time that they didn't tell us about. I found out about it by sheer chancel. The change meant that our connecting flight was due to take off before our first flight was due to land!

I'm getting angry - just thinking about it all again - and it was two years ago!

Julie

 

[oceanscape]

The 'search' facility doesn't seem to be working at the moment. You should be able to find my posts with my comments on about them. They related to a change of flight time that they didn't tell us about. I found out about it by sheer chancel. The change meant that our connecting flight was due to take off before our first flight was due to land!

I'm getting angry - just thinking about it all again - and it was two years ago!

Julie

sorry to hear about that. I can't believe they didn't inform you! Did you get any compensation?

I absolutely hate talking to them on the phone. The lady I just spoke to said "well it is only £25 so if I was you I would just pay it and get it done with"

I want to cancel with them, but I can't find anywhere with the same low rate at the moment

 

[juliebro]

No compensation - but managed to get our money back. It was still a few weeks before travel. Booked different flights with Expedia instead - cost us more money and had to miss out on a couple of days in Washington DC that we'd planned into the intinerary.

I also seem to remember that we had problems with the car hire we had booked with them too. But I can't remember all the details. My age, I think!

Julie

 

[UKDEB]

iI want to cancel with them, but I can't find anywhere with the same low rate at the moment

Have you tried www.usrentacar.co.uk?